"And you don't have anyone who can help you out? What about your family?"
"My father's not exactly supportive of my career choice, so asking him isn't an option." Here I go again, giving him far too much information. It's like his voice is truth serum.
There's that frown and that furrowed brow again. I've never seen such a sexy furrow. "You don't think he would help you?"
"He's made it very clear he won't help me."
"Why not?"
"Because he thinks I should be done playing make-believe and come home to work for the family like my brother and sister." Before my dad married my mother he had another, shorter marriage that lasted only a few years. Long enough to give me two older siblings who lived mostly with their mother apart from summer holidays until they were old enough to be involved in the pharmaceutical company.
Bancroft's jaw clenches. I can't tell whether that's a good or a bad thing. And I don't have a chance to find out, because Amie comes around the corner.
"There you are. I was getting worried." Her eyes dart back and forth between us. "Is everything okay?"
I step back, realizing just how close we are to each other, and smooth the front of my dress, putting on what I hope looks like a natural smile. "Just fine. We were on our way back to the table."
"I'll be right there," Bancroft mutters and turns away, heading for the men's room. It might be a figment of my imagination, but I swear he shakes out his left leg a little.
"Are you okay? What did he say to you?" Amie whisper hisses in my ear.
"I'm fine. He accused me of kissing him back."
"He did what?" Amie stops walking, but her arm is linked with mine, so I'm jerked to a halt. "Sorry, sorry!"
"Well first he accused me of kissing him back and then he apologized."
"I'm glad he apologized." She looks relieved. "Why would he accuse you of kissing him back though?"
I get busy picking at imaginary lint on my dress.
"Ruby?"
I mutter something unintelligible.
"Did you kiss him back?"
I shrug.
"You didn't even know who he was!"
"I was caught off guard. He's a good kisser. And have you seen him? That man could revive a corpse with his hotness."
"Sometimes you're very creepy, you know that?" Amie looks over her shoulder and then sighs. "I'm so sorry about this, I didn't realize Bancroft was the mystery kisser. I'll figure something out. I won't let you be homeless." Her eyes light up, all devious-like.
It makes me nervous, it's the same expression she used to wear when we were younger and she wanted to do something we could get grounded for.
"Actually, this might be perfect."
"Perfectly humiliating?" I ask.
"Let me work my magic."
"Your magic is exactly what I'm afraid of."
Chapter 5: Homes for the Homeless
RUBY
We return to the table. Armstrong looks a little put out that he's been left alone. I assume it's because dinner plates don't act riveted by his engaging conversation.
I sit down and notice my meal is gone. "Did you have my pasta packed up?"
"Packed up?" Armstrong's nose twitches, as if he's trying to mask his disgust. I'm sure leftovers are only for the dog in his house. And the dog would be hypoallergenic and never bark.
"To take home?" I have to work hard to speak normally, and not like I'm addressing a toddler.
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Because I hardly touched it."
"I thought that was because you didn't enjoy it." He gives me a strained smile, his gaze moving from me to Amie, as if he's uncertain whether he's done something wrong or not.
"It's not a big deal." I smooth my napkin across my lap so I have somewhere to focus. This night is turning to crap. Not only is what little I've eaten not sitting all that well, now I can't even enjoy the leftovers when my stomach finally settles. And the only things in my fridge are lemons and maybe some salad dressing and random condiments. If I wasn't already highly embarrassed, I might want to cry.
"Why don't we order dessert?" Amie suggests.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Armstrong asks.
If he's implying that Amie needs to watch what she eats he needs a slap across the face, or maybe a punch, with brass knuckles, below the belt. Amie is stunning, with a fabulous body that she maintains with regular visits to the gym. Unlike me. I rely solely on my unfortunate dietary restrictions to maintain my current supermodel like figure. Which isn't really all that supermodel-y, but my clothes have been a little bit looser lately.